RIYADH: The International Space Station is nearing the end of its operational life, with NASA planning to conclude the station’s missions and deorbit it into the Pacific Ocean in early 2031. 

Jeddah Astronomical Society president Majed Abu Zahra said a US deorbit vehicle, under development by SpaceX, is expected to guide the ISS toward a controlled reentry over the Pacific Ocean after operations conclude in 2030. 

Since the launch of its first module in 1998, the ISS has been in continuous operation, a familiar sight in the night skies, and a landmark of human cooperation in space. 

Abu Zahra said the effort will signal a carefully managed end to an era that has shaped spaceflight and microgravity research, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday. 

Over more than two decades, agencies from the US, Europe, Russia, Canada, and Japan have worked together, supporting crewed missions, maintaining systems, and conducting thousands of experiments in orbit. 

More than 260 astronauts from around the world, including several from Saudi Arabia, have visited the station, contributing to a legacy of global collaboration in science and exploration. 

Abu Zahra said that the ISS is now facing significant structural and financial pressures. 

The station has remained operational far beyond initial expectations. It was originally designed to operate for about 15 years, but has now been in orbit for 27 years. 

Mounting technical and maintenance challenges are affecting key systems on board, with some experiencing technical problems, while micrometeoroids have damaged outer surfaces and air leaks have appeared over time, he said. 

Abu Zahra added that annual expenses have risen to more than $3 billion, a major factor behind NASA’s decision to redirect resources toward other priorities, including programs focused on exploring the Moon and Mars. 

Abu Zahra said the farewell to the ISS should not be viewed solely as a scientific or technical milestone. 

Rather, it represents the end of a period of global human cooperation on an unprecedented scale, as space agencies have worked together for decades despite political differences — one of the most enduring achievements of the space age.